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A comparison between different accelerated test methods for the determination of the natural durability of wood
1996 - IRG/WP 96-20099
According to the European standard EN 350-1 the natural durability of wood is defined as: "the inherent resistance of wood to attack by wood destroying organisms". This standard also describes how, for certain hazard classes, the durability is determined. The two methods described in this standard are the kolleflask method (EN 113) and the field-stake-test method (EN 252). The EN 113 test gives re...
H Militz, S G L Michon, J E Polman, M Stevens


Performance of preservative-treated timber against biodeterioration in Indian waters
1984 - IRG/WP 4106
Results on the investigation on the durability of panels of 32 timber species, pressure-treated with various preservatives and exposed along the Indian coast for varying periods upto a maximum of 15 years, are summarised. Panels of even non-durable timber gave excellent results against biodeterioration after treatment. Their life was comparable to that of treated durable timber. The preservative t...
L N Santhakumaran, J C Jain, M C Tewari


Soft Rot Decay of Cengal (Neobalanocarpus heimii) Heartwood in Ground Contact in Relation to Extractive Microdistribution
2003 - IRG/WP 03-10501
The heartwood of cengal (Neobalanocarpus heimii, fam. Dipterocarpaceae) is naturally durable. A square-sawn utility pole specimen of cengal heartwood, after 30 years in ground contact, showed 10-15 mm surface decay all around the ground line position, accompanied with isolated surface termite attack at the decayed region. Light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the decayed regions prov...
A P Singh, A H H Wong, Yoon Soo Kim, Seung-Gon Wi, Kwang Ho Lee


NIR spectroscopy for rapid estimation of decay resistance
2004 - IRG/WP 04-20294
In Scandinavia Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is an important commercial tree species. Its heartwood has traditionally been used in constructions exposed to risk of decay. In a laboratory experiment Scots pine wood specimens sampled from inner heartwood, outer heartwood and sapwood were exposed to the brown rot fungus Poria placenta. In general outer heartwood was more resistant than inner heart...
P O Flæte, E Ystrøm Haartveit


Evaluation of the european standard ENV 12038 for durability testing of plywood
2001 - IRG/WP 01-20237
The latest improved version of the standard ENV 12038 drafted as document N44 by CEN Technical Committee 38 (WG 7 - WG 23) is used to evaluate the effect of wood composition and structure on plywood durability. The method described is based on the agar-block test of the EN 113 standard used for the determination of the efficacy of wood preservatives and the assessment of the natural durability of ...
J Van Acker, M Stevens, E De Clercq


The WOODCARE project: Development of detection methods for Death watch beetle larvae and fungal decay
1999 - IRG/WP 99-20172
Woodcare was a European project coordinated by English Heritage. The aim of the research was to develop more targeted and more environmentally friendly treatment methods for Death watch beetle infections in Oak constructions of historical buildings. TNO has developed two new methods for fast and reliable detection of Death watch beetle larvae and related fungal decay in Oak. The problem with Death...
P Esser, P Van Staalduinen, A C Tas


Durability of surface coating systems. Mycologg - an accelerated mycological test.
2004 - IRG/WP 04-20301
Field testing and natural aging/degradation of test sample, e.g. coated wooden surfaces is a slow process. Accelerated tests focus on mechanical properties, water uptake or sometimes stain fungi. Artificially weathered coated panels are not easily compared with naturally aged panels, and show the importance of involving the biological component among the degrading facors. It is a need for acce...
L Ross Gobakken, J Mattsson, B Jacobsen, F G Evans


Laboratory evaluation of termite resistance of five lesser-known Malaysian hardwoods used for roof and ceiling construction
2001 - IRG/WP 01-10398
The general laboratory procedure of AWPA E1-97 was used to evaluate the termite resistance of 5 lesser- known species (LKT) of Malaysian hardwoods: Kekatong (Cynometra sp.), Kelat (Eugenia spp.), Mempening (Lithocarpus spp.), Perah (Elateriospermum tapos) and Pauh Kijang (Irvingia malayana) against the subterranean termite Coptotermes curvignathus over 28 days. Kempas (Koompassia malaccensis) and ...
A A H Wong, Kee Suan Cheok, J K Grace


Occurrence of termite species on decaying heartwood specimens exposed 18 to 23 years at an Australian site
1998 - IRG/WP 98-10270
The occurrence of species of subterranean termites on hardwood and softwood specimens (including preservative-treated), exposed in-ground at a semi-arid site at Walpeup (north-western Victoria), 18 to 23 years after installation, is reported. This paper presents maps of the cumulative occurrence on specimens, after six annual inspections, of the following species: Coptotermes acinaciformis, Hetero...
J W Creffield, J-D Thornton, G C Johnson


Above-Ground Durability Estimation in Australia. Results after 16 years exposure
2005 - IRG/WP 05-20314
A program of research was established in 1987 to examine the above-ground durability of a selection of timbers that are commercially significant in Australia. Test samples were assembled in an L-Joint design and placed on exposure racks in a format to replicate joinery that is exposed to the weather above ground. Both painted and unpainted material has been exposed. Test samples have been evaluat...
L P Francis, J Norton


Variation of natural durability of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) wood in 15 clones examined by decay test (Preliminary report)
2004 - IRG/WP 04-10526
Natural durability of wood in 27 trees from 15 clones of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica)  was investigated by an accelerated decay test. Thirty years old trees were collected from a clonal trial in Ibaraki prefecture, Japan. Natural durability is usually evaluated in heartwood. Mass losses of heartwood caused by a brown rot decay fungus, Fomitopsis palustris and a white rot decay fungus, Py...
K Yamamoto, A Tamura, R Nakada


Is laboratory testing of decay resistance questionable as a single criterion for natural durability?
1996 - IRG/WP 96-20096
In a laboratory test set up over 20 hardwood species were evaluated according to the European Standard EN 350-1 including Basidiomycete and soft rot testing. Half of the species used were of a known natural durability. The Basidiomycete testing was carried out using Coriolus versicolor, Gloeophyllum trabeum and Coniophora puteana in a malt agar test similar to EN 113. From this test it was not pos...
J Van Acker, M Stevens, T Van Cauwenberghe, T Seynaeve


Moisture content development in lap-joints of different wood species in outside exposure trials
1998 - IRG/WP 98-20143
Lap-joint trails (following European Standard EN 12037) were set up with 11 different softwood and hardwood species. Half of the number of the lap-joint specimens were coated with an alkyd coating. The moisture development has been followed during a 19 months period. In this paper, the out comes of different moisture contents evaluations are presented. The results show, that the moisture content o...
H Militz, M Broertjes, C J Bloom


Chemical treatment of ten Amazonian timber species of low natural durability
1991 - IRG/WP 3640
The objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of 10 amazonian wood species of low natural durability, to treatment with CCA preservative (2% concentration): it was concluded that all species studied are easily treated with this preservative. The sapwood showed high absorption and total penetration. The heartwood is relatively easy to preserve, exception to Parkia nitidae (Fava), Quale...
C S Neta, B F Vianez


Assessment of untreated Papua New Guinea timbers against subterranean termites. Final report
1993 - IRG/WP 93-10041
Four years after the exposure of eight timber species of varying density against subterranean termites in a field trial, Kwila was still generally sound while Taun, Malas and PNG Walnut were beginning to be attacked slightly to moderately. Calophyllum, Kamarere, PNG Beech and White Cheesewood were severely attacked and failed. Results after the period of exposure shows that Kwila rates highly as t...
H C Konabe, M Rokova


Laboratory tests on the natural durability of timber methods and problems
1984 - IRG/WP 2217
In literature a large variety of test methods is mentioned to examine the natural resistance of timber against fungal attack. This concerns the kind of sampling as well as the test procedure, the test fungi, the duration of test, and the classification of the resistance according to the test results. These variations, however, are of great influence on the test result. Long term exposure will lead...
H Willeitner


The comparative resistance to fungi of the wood munika (Pinus heldreichii Christ.), fir (Abies alba Mill.) and spruce (Picea excelsa Poir.) compared with Pinus sylvestris L. and some physical and mechanical characteristics of munika
1981 - IRG/WP 1129
The munika (Pinus heldreichii Christ.) is situated primarily in the Balkans, and partially in the south of the Apenine peninsula. As an endemic species, with a very little annual increment, it has not been used enough as a timber for mechanical conversion up till now, although the oldest trees can grow to 27 m in height, with a diameter at breast height of about 60 cm. According to data of many Ba...
M Petrovic, M Miric


Aspects of the fungal degradation of quaternary ammonium compounds in liquid culture
1997 - IRG/WP 97-30160
Didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) is a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) that has found use as an anti-sapstain preservative for the transportation of softwood lumber from Canada to overseas markets. However, its use is limited by the knowledge that certain mould fungi seem capable of degrading it. The aim of this research was to gain knowledge about the fungal degradation of DDAC. The effe...
J W Dubois, J N R Ruddick


Laboratory trial to identify potential in-forest treatments to control fungal pre-infections of radiata pine logs
2000 - IRG/WP 00-30220
Development of fungal infections of radiata pine logs by wood degrading fungi commences immediately after tree felling. In general, subsequent antisapstain treatments are unable to control fungal degrade on logs where the pre-treatment log storage time exceeds 2-5 days. However, use of an in-forest treatment of logs may be advantageous to log exporters to control fungal pre-infections during the p...
D R Eden, B Kreber, R N Wakeling, J G Van der Waals, C M Chittenden


Natural durability of Norwegian wood species for above ground applications – Project presentation and preliminary results
2006 - IRG/WP 06-10594
In Norway exterior wood structures have traditionally nearly exclusively been made of treated and untreated Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). In recent years there has been a tendency that other tree species, like various domestic hardwoods and imported species have been used in exterior above ground applications, often unfinished. For several wood speci...
P O Flæte, G Alfredsen, F G Evans


Durability of heat-treated wood
1999 - IRG/WP 99-40145
Heat-treated wood from the French process were laboratory tested against decay using agar block test and a modified soil block test. Water absorption, bending strength, lignin content and acid number were also determined to evaluate the effect of heat treatment. Heat treated samples exhibit a higher lignin content and a lower acid number compared to untreated control indicating the degradation of ...
D P Kamdem, A Pizzi, R Guyonnet, A Jermannaud


A dynamic approach to assess the modulus of elasticity in wood decay testing
1998 - IRG/WP 98-20139
In this study, the changes in elastic behaviour and mass losses of different hardwood and softwood species exposed to decay in a laboratory soil tests were assessed. Wood decay was monitored using different assessment methods, namely: mass loss and changes in elastic behaviours (MOE) determination. Elastic changes were determined by static and dynamic methods, for the latter, acoustic technique wa...
L Machek, H Militz, R Sierra-Alvarez


Natural durability transfer from sawmill residues of white cypress (Callitris glaucophylla). - Part 1: Optimisation of the extraction conditions
2000 - IRG/WP 00-30238
As the first phase of a large project aimed at recovering 'waste' durability components from sawmill residues of Callitris glaucophylla, several solvents and extraction methods were evaluated, initially in the laboratory and then at pilot industrial scale. Extracts were compared by crude total dissolved solids content, by chemical analysis using GC-MS and LC-MS, and by laboratory...
M J Kennedy, Hui Jiang, L M Stephens


Natural durability transfer from sawmill residues of white cypress (Callitris glaucophylla). - Part 4: Analysis of extracts and treated wood for active components
2000 - IRG/WP 00-20215
In order to facilitate the commercial implementation of a large project aimed at recovering 'waste' durability components from sawmill residues of Callitris glaucophylla, it has been essential to develop analytical methodology for the important bioactive components of the heartwood extract. This methodology will be used 1) to standardise the activity of successive production batc...
Hui Jiang, M J Kennedy, L M Stephens


Fungal colonisation of the keelson and associated structures of a nineteenth century wooden frigate: Concepts of community structure and development
1994 - IRG/WP 94-10072
The early stages of microbial colonization and succession of wooden surfaces exposed to the sea have been extensively studied as have the community structures of archaeological timbers subjected to submergence and then retrieval from the sea. The frigate UNICORN, a largely intact 19th century wooden ship based in Dundee, Scotland, provides the microbial ecologist with a unique opportunity to study...
N A White, J W Palfreyman, G M Smith


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